a non-evaluative term referring to drug-taking behavior in general; any drug-taking behavior

drug misuse

inappropriate use of prescription or nonprescription drugs

drug abuse

use of a drug when it is detrimental to one's health or well-being

drug (chemical) dependence

a psychological and sometimes physical state characterized by a craving for a drug

psychological dependence

a psychological state characterized by an overwhelming desire to continue use of a drug

binge drinking

consuming five or more drinks in a row for males and four or more drinks in a row for females

problem drinker

one for whom alcohol consumption results in a medical, social, or other type of problem

alcoholism

a disease characterized by impaired control over drinking, preoccupation with drinking, and continued use of alcohol despite adverse consequences

blood alcohol concentration (BAC)

the percentage of concentration of alcohol in the blood

Synar Amendment

a federal law that requires states to set the minimum legal age for purchasing tobacco products at 18 years and requires states to enforces this law

environmental tobacco smoke (ETS)

tobacco smoke in the ambient air

over-the-counter (OTC) drugs (nonprescription drugs)

drugs (except tobacco and alcohol) that can be legally purchased without a physician's prescription

Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

a federal agency in the Department of Health and Human Services charged with ensuring the safety and efficacy of all prescription and nonprescription drugs

controlled substances

drugs regulated by the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Control Act of 1970, including all illegal drugs and prescription drugs that are subject to abuse and can produce dependence

Controlled Substances Act of 1970

the central piece of federal drug legislation that regulates illegal drugs and legal drugs that have a high potential for abuse

illicit (illegal) drugs

drugs that cannot be legally manufactured, distributed, or sold, and that usually lack recognized medicinal value

Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

the federal government's lead agency with the primary responsibility for enforcing the nation's drug laws, including the Controlled Substances Act of 1970

marijuana

dried plant parts of the hemp plant, Cannabis sativa

polydrug use

concurrent use of multiple drugs

amotivational syndrome

a pattern of behavior characterized by apathy, loss of effectiveness, and a more passive, introverted personality

narcotics

drugs derived from or chemically related to opium that reduce pain and induce stupor, such as morphine

tolerance

physiological and enzgmatic adjustments that occur in response to the chronic presence of drugs, which are reflected in the need for ever-increasing doses

cocaine

the pyschoactive ingredient in the leaves of the coca plants, Erythoxolyn coca, which when refined, is a powerful stimulant

stimulant

a drug that increases the activity of the central nervous system

hallucinogens

drugs that produce profound distortions of the sense

synesthesia

impairment of mind characterized by a sensation that sense are mixed

amphetamines

a group of synthetic drugs that act as stimulants

methamphetamine

the amphetamine most widely abused

barbiturates

depressant drugs based on the structure of barbituric acid

benzodiazapines

nonbarbiturate depressant drugs

methaqualone

an illicit depressant drug

depressants

drugs that slow central nervous system activity, for example alcohol

club drugs

a general term for those illicit drugs, primarily synthetic, that are most commonly encountered at night clubs

Rohypnol

a depressent in the benzodiazapine group that has achieved notoriety as a date-rape drug

designer drugs

drugs synthesized illegally that are similar to, but structurally different from, known controlled substances

anabolic drugs

compounds, structurally similar to the male hormone testosterone, that increase protein synthesis and thus muscle building

inhalants

breathable substances that produce mind-altering effects

drug abuse education

providing information about drugs and the dangers of drug abuse, changing attitudes and beliefs about drugs, providing the skills necessary to abstain from drugs, and ultimately changing drug abuse behavior

treatment

care that removes the physical, emotional and environmental conditions that have contributed to drug abuse and/or dependence

aftercare

the continuing care provided the recovering former drug abuser

public policy

the guiding principles and course of action pursued by governments to solve practical problems affecting society

law enforcement

the application of federal, state, and local laws to arrest, jail, bring to rial, and sentence those who break drug laws or break laws because of drug use

Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP)

the headquarters of America's drug control effort, located in the executive branch of the U.S. government, headed by a director appointed by the president

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)

the agency within the Department of Health and Human Services that provides leadership in drug abuse prevention and treatment.

National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)

the federal government's lead agency for drug abuse research, one of the National Institutes of Health

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF)

the federal agency in the Department of Justice that regulates alcohol and tobacco

student assistance programs (SAPs)

school-based drug education programs to assist students who have alcohol or other drug problems

peer counseling programs

school-based programs in which students discuss alcohol and other drug-related problems with peers

employee assistance program (EAP)

a workplace drug program designed to assist employees whose work performance is suffering because of a personal problem such as alcohol or other drug problems